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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28067655">Alphabeat</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ineedathesaurus/pseuds/ineedathesaurus'>ineedathesaurus</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Alphabet Challenge, Angst, Break Up, Brock Cooking, Character Death, Crushes, Depressed Misty, Drunkenness, F/M, Fluff, Grieving, Homelessness, Imma Add tags as I go by, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, In-Denial, Long-Distance Friendship, Long-Distance Relationship, Lost friendship, Love Letters, One Shot, One Shot Song Challenge, One-Sided Attraction, Police Officer AU, Reunions, Wakes &amp; Funerals, Wedding Reception, Weddings, adults acting like children</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:07:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,081</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28067655</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ineedathesaurus/pseuds/ineedathesaurus</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A series on Pokeshipping one-shots where I combine the Alphabet Challenge and the Shuffle Song Challenge. Transferred from FF.net. </p><p>Apparition: Ash gets an unlikely visitor after a very close friend's funeral.<br/>Bard: Misty struggling to break-up with her boyfriend and Ash isn't making things easier<br/>Carnation: After years apart the two friends meet up to prepare for a mutual friend's wedding<br/>Damsel: Misty is stuck with not-so-bright but extremely pretty bridesmaids<br/>Effort: She didn't know why she couldn't help but stare at her neighbor's window.<br/>Gizzard: Brock's cooking is interrupted by his adult children friends<br/>Forest: People grow up and people grow apart. (Angst)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kasumi | Misty/Satoshi | Ash Ketchum</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Apparition (Say Goodbye by Click Five)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The night was a cold one for a June evening.</p><p> </p><p>The bar was empty with only the sounds of the bartender whipping off empty glasses to fill the background nose.</p><p> </p><p>Ash was on his seventh drink that night, or at least that’s what he assumed, he has lost count after the third.</p><p> </p><p>He wasn’t that much of a drinker, heck this was probably the third time he had ever tasted alcohol. The first time was when he mistook the cooking wine for juice and another third time when Gary brought him to a nightclub.</p><p> </p><p>Despite this, though he was able to hold his alcohol quite well; unlike Brock who would start doing stupid things on two shots of vodka and pass out on his third. It was from this that it was usually Ash who drove (or dragged if referred to when they were still traveling and he had neither license nor car) the poor old Pokemon doctor home (or drops him in the tent).</p><p> </p><p>But right now Ash might have actually reached his limit.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m about to close for the night kiddo,” said the burly barman with a thick red beard “You sure you can handle going home?”</p><p> </p><p>He finished his whisky in one shot and hit the glass on the wooden surface “No I’m good John” he then reached for his wallet and paid for his drink.</p><p> </p><p>“You sure?” the barman took the money “You kinda look terrible”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s what you said when I came in”</p><p> </p><p>“Well at least you don’t look even worst”</p><p> </p><p>He stood up and took his jacket on the stool “Thanks for the drink”</p><p> </p><p>John crossed his arms “My condolences again”</p><p> </p><p>Ash paused for a moment put on his jacket and gave the man a small smile “I’m not the one who needs it”</p><p> </p><p>“I think you need it more” John frowned.</p><p> </p><p>“Not any more than Gary” Ash sighed “I’m not as close as they were”</p><p> </p><p>The bearded man gave the raven head a look “You have a right to be sad about it too, we all are”</p><p> </p><p>“I know,” he said heading for the door.</p><p> </p><p>The barman still wasn’t convinced “Are you sure you’re ok?”</p><p> </p><p>With one hand on the door and another waving the bartender “I’m fine, don’t worry I’m not driving” and with that, he exited the bar.</p><p> </p><p>A frown formed on the man’s face “I wasn’t worried about that”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It was a little warmer when Ash stepped out of the bar, it was the beginning of summer after all. He reached out for his Pokegear in his pocket but then he remembered leaving it home. He didn’t want anyone to know where he was right now.</p><p> </p><p>He sighed and looked up at the sky. It was a crescent moon right now and Ash was kinda disappointed it wasn’t a full one. Dawn always talked about how full moons were more romantic of something. For Ash on the other hand full moons usually mean that Team Rocket was planning some stupid trap for his Pikachu or some random trainer will run into their camp asking for help because Team Rocket took their Pokemon.</p><p> </p><p>So with no full moon, Ash decided that it was probably just going to be a normal night.</p><p> </p><p>Shoving his hands in his pockets Ash trudged his way homeward. He wondered why John was so worried about him leaving the bar. Sure he might have drunk more than the usual but he seemed perfectly fine. Sure neon lights kinda look faded right now but that was just about it.</p><p> </p><p>He had been walking for quite a while now and Ash noticed how it was taking a long time to reach home. He didn’t mind it seeing as he was probably tired from the events that occurred earlier today.</p><p> </p><p>It was unusually quiet outside. Usually, even at this hour, you could hear some Spinerak and even the occasional Pineco. The pathway was dim as only a few lampposts were actually working and those that worked usually have a weak fuse. Growing up in Pallet he knew each pathway in the back of his mind so he didn’t need to look.</p><p> </p><p>All of a sudden he felt his body slowly heat up, at first he ignored it but with each step he took he could feel the heat go up from his legs right to his chest. He stopped walking for a moment and his vision started to get blurry only for it to be clear once again with the heat also stopping.</p><p> </p><p>“Boy, I drank a lot” Ash placed a hand on his forehead wanting to make sure he wasn’t getting any fever or anything.</p><p> </p><p>“You sure did” a voice behind him said.</p><p> </p><p>At once Ash’s eyes widened. That was impossible. He probably was just hearing things.</p><p> </p><p>“You don’t look too good,” said the voice.</p><p> </p><p>He should probably continue walking.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you ignoring me, Ash?”</p><p> </p><p>The trainer gulped “Yup never drinking whisky again”</p><p> </p><p>“Whisky? I never saw you as a drinking type” the voice paused “Not unless you counted that time Gary . . .”</p><p> </p><p>Ash turned around and again his eyes went wide.</p><p> </p><p>“Ash? Are you alright?”</p><p> </p><p>His jaw dropped.</p><p> </p><p>“Ash?”</p><p> </p><p>Raising a shaky finger he pointed at the person in front of him “Pro . . . Pro . . . Professor?!!”</p><p> </p><p>The old man cocked his head “You look quite pale”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s impossible”</p><p> </p><p>“What it?”</p><p> </p><p>“Impossible”</p><p> </p><p>“Ash I do not understand you”</p><p> </p><p>“I DON’T UNDERSTAND YOU!”</p><p> </p><p>“Me?” the professor placed his palms on his chest “What do you mean?”</p><p> </p><p>Still shaking “You’re not supposed to be here!”</p><p> </p><p>By now the Professor went from confused to slightly offended “Now pardon me, but I am a grown man and I may choose to go wherever I wish to”</p><p> </p><p>Ash dropped his finger “But you can’t”</p><p> </p><p>“And why is that?”</p><p> </p><p>“You’re dead”</p><p> </p><p>There was a silence between the two.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh yes, I am aren’t I?” the professor said as though he had forgotten this little fact.</p><p> </p><p>At this moment Ash presumed a sweatdrop was formed on his head like those he saw in the anime he saw as a child. “Uhmm . . . does this . . .” he pointed again “That . . . you . . . are a well . . . ghost?”</p><p> </p><p>The old man nodded “Yes”</p><p> </p><p>Ash paused for a moment “And you’re haunting me?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well . . . this may be considered that” the Oak patriarch seemed to be considering it some thought.</p><p> </p><p>“Uhh . . .” the raven head stepped back slowly “If that’s the case . . .” he pointed with his thumb “I’m going to run”</p><p> </p><p>Still in his thinking pose “I think you . . . wait! No Ash!” before he realized it he saw Ash bolting out like a mad Rapidash. “Oh dear . . .”</p><p> </p><p>Ash at the moment didn’t know where he was running to but he knew he better get away quick. He had had enough experiences with ghosts to know that they were things (or Pokemon) that need not be messed with. Sure it could have been a Ghastly pulling prank on him but Ash did not bring any Pokemon with him and he was sure that he would not survive two consecutive shadow balls.</p><p> </p><p>Just when he thought he was home free his mad running went to a screeching halt.</p><p> </p><p>Professor Oak was again right in front of him “Now young boy don’t you go running off like . . .” he stopped talking when he noticed Ash had run away in another direction “This boy is quite stubborn”</p><p> </p><p>“Fucking Gastly, Haunter, Gengar whatever you are” Ash panted as he tried to get away “Wait a minute” he stopped his running and panted with his hands on his knees “Since when did Pallet Town have ghost Pokemon?”</p><p> </p><p>“Ash listen to me!” Professor Oak was now waving his hands comically.</p><p> </p><p>That seemed out of character for the respected man to do. So this must be a ghost Pokemon.</p><p> </p><p>“Look here!” Ash panted still bent “I’ve had a rough day, and I’d like to go home now” he panted “So please, let me go”</p><p> </p><p>The professor lowered his arms “If you just stopped running then I wouldn’t have done that”</p><p> </p><p>“How was I to know that you wouldn’t hit me with a Confuse Ray or something!?” the trainer stood straight. “I’ve been messed up by enough ghost types thank you very much”</p><p> </p><p>“Do you think” the Professor raised a brow “That I’m a Gastly?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well that or anything in your evolutionary chart”</p><p> </p><p>“Ash I’m real”</p><p> </p><p>“That is what they all say”</p><p> </p><p>“Look here” the Professor touched the trainer’s shoulder “I can touch you”</p><p> </p><p>“Well ghosts are really good” Ash looked at the hand on his shoulder “I mean I met this Ninetails, she made a really good illusion that Brock almost married” he then added as an afterthought “Now that I think about it most of the girls who liked Brock were either illusions by ghost types or psychic types”</p><p> </p><p>The Professor blinked “You really are drunk”</p><p> </p><p>“Yup I am” Ash nodded “So, whatever you want you won’t have it!”</p><p> </p><p>“Ash just listen to me!” the man tightened his grip “I know it must have been hard for you to go through this”</p><p> </p><p>Ash raised his finger “Are you sure you’re not James, he did do a great impression of you that one time”</p><p> </p><p>“He looked nothing like me!” the old man shook his head “I am trying to be serious”</p><p> </p><p>“And I’m trying to be suspicious” he poked the old man’s nose “Jesse is that you?”</p><p> </p><p>The Professor slapped his hand away from his nose “I am not any of those two”</p><p> </p><p>Ash cocked his head “Meowth learned to transform?”</p><p> </p><p>“This is . . .” the Professor tightened his grip “Ash I need you to listen to me, stop stalling” he pointed his finger at the younger boy’s mouth “If you say anything”</p><p> </p><p>Ash remained silent.</p><p> </p><p>The Professor sighed “Alright, Ash I want you to know that you don’t have to keep your emotions in. I don’t want you to think that you don’t deserve to grieve any more than my immediate family”</p><p> </p><p>“I am grieving,” Ash said looking at the floor “I tried drinking”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s not a good way to grieve” the old man sighed.</p><p> </p><p>“Is this all because I didn’t cry like everybody else during your funeral?” Ash asked. “Is this what this is all about? That not a tear fell down my cheek when you were there in a casket unmoving and dead? You wanted me to scream my pain and anger as they put you in the ground?”</p><p> </p><p>The professor released his grip “I don’t want you to hide your pain inside”</p><p> </p><p>Before Ash could say anything else his chest started to feel hot again and his vision got blurry. “Ash?” the Professor said “Ash . . .Ash . . .”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Ash?” the voice was now more feminine. “Ash? Can you hear me?” slowly his vision got a bit clearer and he was no longer facing the Professor.</p><p> </p><p>It was Misty.</p><p> </p><p>He also realized he was not standing up on a pathway but he was actually laying on the ground “Mist?”</p><p> </p><p>“Pika!” said the yellow rodent from Misty’s shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>Ash blinked “What are you guys doing here?”</p><p> </p><p>The redhead had a worried look on her face “We were looking for you!” she was still wearing what she had worn during the funeral earlier: A black cotton dress that covered her arms and reached until her knees, a necklace with a sapphire-colored crystal and those tiny black hats with several ribbons that Ash found amusing.</p><p> </p><p>Ash himself was still wearing his dark suit “Where am I . . .” he tried to make out his surroundings only for him to spot several grey stones spread out.</p><p> </p><p>“We’ve been trying to call you but you left your phone in your room” Misty bit her lip “We were so worried Ash”</p><p> </p><p>He ran a hand over his head “I was at the pub, I must have drunk a lot and passed out here on my way home”</p><p> </p><p>“I can tell” she sighed “Your stench is kinda strong”</p><p> </p><p>Pikachu then went over to his master’s lap “Pipipikapi pipi!”</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry bud” he rubbed a hand over his beloved friend “But you were sleeping soundly awhile back, decided to just let you rest”</p><p> </p><p>Misty gave him a very concerning look “Ash, you’re getting me worried”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m fine Misty” he waved his hand attempting to stand up.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re not fine!” Misty raised her voice “You never drink and from the smells of it you drank a lot, I’m surprised you could even hold a conversation at this point”</p><p> </p><p>“If it helps you I’m kinda having a headache” as soon as he stood up his legs felt wobbly and he almost fell grabbing a nearby headstone for support “And I can’t walk”</p><p> </p><p>The Cerulean gym leader sighed and assisted her friend by putting his arm over her shoulder and assisting him “I didn’t think I’d be carrying another drunk tonight”</p><p> </p><p>“Let me guess Brock?” Ash raised a brow.</p><p> </p><p>Misty nodded “Yup, he was trying to do a Joan Crawford impression and ended up getting a Wigglytuff in the ranch pissed at him”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sure Croagunk took care of him”</p><p> </p><p>“He didn’t that Wigglytuff did quite a number on him” Misty recalling the several slaps Brock received. “But he’s fine, it’s just his way of mourning” she then stopped walking.</p><p> </p><p>Ash looked at her “You’ve been giving me that look since this morning”</p><p> </p><p>“Then you’re even more of an idiot than I thought”</p><p> </p><p>He looked at her confusingly “What?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve been worried about you ever since the Professor . . .” she trailed, even now that the said man was buried six feet under the ground she still couldn’t say it without being a bit overwhelmed.</p><p> </p><p>He looked away “You know you should have just called someone else to find me, you’re not in great shape”</p><p> </p><p>“Then why did you go off like that!” she yelled. “You know it’s been a hard time for all of us and yet here you go making all of us worried!”</p><p> </p><p>At this, he faced her equally mad “What is it that when I leave unannounced you guys always assume I’m gonna do something stupid!”</p><p> </p><p>“Because you always do!” she glared “The only reason I managed to find you was because the bartender said you started screaming at nothing outside his bar and started running off in this direction!”</p><p> </p><p>This made Ash pause “Wait . . . So . . . what I saw . . . wasn’t a ghost type?”</p><p> </p><p>“What are you talking about?”</p><p> </p><p>“When I left the pub” Ash bit his lip “I . . . sorta saw a ghost of Professor Oak”</p><p> </p><p>Misty gave him a bewildered look “A ghost? You were yelling at his ghost?”</p><p> </p><p>“I was freaking out ok? The man just died and I thought some Gastly was making fun of me” he panted “Then all of a sudden he started talking about pain or something I dunno”</p><p> </p><p>The read head closed her eyes “Ash, I think . . .”</p><p> </p><p>“That was the alcohol?” he snorted “Yeah, never drinking again”</p><p> </p><p>“Sure but . . .” Misty looked at him right in the eye “I really think that’s your brain telling you to . . . let go”</p><p> </p><p>“Misty . . .”</p><p> </p><p>“Professor Oak has been a father to you and you know that” she continued “He’s been with you every step of the way from the moment you grabbed that Pokeball and wanted to be a trainer to getting your starter and everything. If there was anyone who was prouder than your mom when you got the Champion title from Lance it was the Professor”</p><p> </p><p>He closed his eyes “Misty . . .”</p><p> </p><p>“So you have every right to be upset!” she told him “I know you’re trying to look tough but not shedding one tear when Gary himself cried his eyeballs out is saying a lot”</p><p> </p><p>“Look I may look like an emotional guy but I don’t do that way!” Ash pulled himself away from Misty and almost stumbled on the ground again.</p><p> </p><p>This made the redhead even more irate “Ash! Get a hold of yourself!”</p><p> </p><p>“Pipikapi!” Pikachu also scolding his trainer.</p><p> </p><p>Ash managed to hold to a nearby lamp post and try to stop the now shaky vision he was having “You know what” he whispered “I’m not ok”</p><p> </p><p>Misty stood behind him “I know”</p><p> </p><p>“He was the first person who actually believed in me” he tightened his grip on the metal post “Even my mom had some doubts about me being a trainer before I started”</p><p> </p><p>This revelation surprised Misty. Delia seemed like the type of person who would support her son no matter how crazy a career he wanted. “But, she always backed you up”</p><p> </p><p>Ash had a small smile “My dad kinda made training Pokemon look like a lost cause back then, he abandoned everything to become better that included my mom and me” he snorted “I don’t know where he is but my mom didn’t want me to end up like that”</p><p> </p><p>“You love your mom” Misty placed a hand on his shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>“It was Professor Oak who convinced my mom before my tenth birthday” he looked up at the sky “And to think that a respectable man like him would believe in a run of the mill hobo like me, he said I had the spark on what it takes to beat the League”</p><p> </p><p>Misty smiled “And he was right”</p><p> </p><p>Ash sighed then looked at his friend “I always wondered what he saw in me, even when after I beat Lance I wondered what I did to make him say that”</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe it was your stubbornness” she smirked.</p><p> </p><p>“I thought so too” he paused “So I asked him, like the day before he . . . passed on”</p><p> </p><p>She gave another reassuring squeeze on his shoulder “What did he say?”</p><p> </p><p>“He said it because I was the only person” he chuckled “The only stupid person, to ever go to a wild Pokemon infested area without a single Pokemon in my possession”</p><p> </p><p>At first, both of them were silent. It was in there that Misty started laughing followed by Ash. The two friends let out their laughter for a few moments.</p><p> </p><p>“To think . . .” Ash shook his head “The only thing needed to be a champion . . .”</p><p> </p><p>“Was absolute stupidity” Misty finished and the pair laughed harder.</p><p> </p><p>They laughed until they ended up on the floor.</p><p> </p><p>They laughed until Misty ended up coughing from laughing too much.</p><p> </p><p>They laughed until Misty realized Ash wasn’t laughing anymore.</p><p> </p><p>They laughed until Misty wrapped her arms around Ash as he cried unto her shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>Pikachu placed a tiny paw on his best friend's back-patting it while also trying to hold the tears.</p><p> </p><p>Misty hugged the young man tighter “Let it out, just let it out” she said softly into his ear “It’ll be good for the both of us”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Bard (We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together by Taylor Swift)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was the third time Misty did this. She would start it with a direct motive. She’d pick up the phone dial his number and be very sure that this was a simple act that was to be done. She’d wait for the phone to ring and she’d start composing of seven ways to say hi or think of going right at the topic at hand. By the time the person in the other line picks-up the phone all preparation will fly out the window.</p><p> </p><p>She’d been at this for a week already.</p><p> </p><p>Groaning she tossed her phone away after the failed third attempt. She did not care where it would land, her sisters filled their entire living room with a plush pillow, fluffy carpets, and even foamed walls. No way would anything break there.</p><p> </p><p>“Ok, where’s my fifty?” said a voice that would immediately bring irritation to the redhead.</p><p> </p><p>Misty decided not to look at the person deciding to stare at the ceiling which had a mural of her three sisters dressed in their skimpiest of swimsuits “I decided to call by dinner”</p><p> </p><p>“Then you’ll let him brush his teeth first, then make him do his evening dump then wait for tomorrow morning before deciding that you don’t know what to say anyway” Ash sighed then crashed in on the white couch next to his oldest friend “So just give me the fifty and you’ll reduce your current problem by not having me annoy you”</p><p> </p><p>She grit her teeth “I’m going to do it”</p><p> </p><p>“When? When Godo appears?” Ash asked.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, you said if I did it within this day” Misty pointed “The day is not over”</p><p> </p><p>“And so is your relationship” he countered.</p><p> </p><p>The gym leader winced “I curse the person who introduced you to sarcasm and dry humor”</p><p> </p><p>“Self-loathing is very unhealthy Mist” Ash tapped her nose with his finger. “But if you want something else to blame, it’s Monty Python”</p><p> </p><p>Misty rolled her eyes “So are you just gonna Fearrow me all day and wait for me to give up?”</p><p> </p><p>“The way you stated that was boring,” the trainer thought for a moment “More like bask in your despair as you realize that your good friend was right and should be rewarded graciously for his sensibilities”</p><p> </p><p>“The way you treat this situation does not prove your sensibility” she crossed her arms, “You think what I’m doing here is easy? I’ve been with this guy for TWO YEARS!” she raised two fingers at his face almost poking him every time she needed emphasis “You can’t just waste TWO YEARS!”</p><p> </p><p>Ash backed away trying to avoid any optical injuries “Would you like to waste some more then?”</p><p> </p><p>By now her hand had formed a fist “Would you want me to respond to that statement?”</p><p> </p><p>“Preferably . . .” Ash gulped “Not with violence” he backed away going to the edge of the couch and placed a Spheal throw-pillow between them for good measure.</p><p> </p><p>She lowered her fist and dropped her shoulders “Ending relationships is not an easy task Ash, you have several things to consider”</p><p> </p><p>“Then I suggest you go take a lesson from all the women who rejected Brock” Ash then added as an after-thought “And I tell you, you won’t have troubles looking for them”</p><p> </p><p>“Brock never had a proper introduction much less of a relationship” she snorted.</p><p> </p><p>The guy just shrugged. There was a minute of silence between them with Misty staring at anything in the room as if it would give her answers and Ash stroking his fingers on the sofa because it gave him a tingly feeling.</p><p> </p><p>“Would you stop feeling the couch its weird” Misty said breaking the silence.</p><p> </p><p>Feeling like a five-year-old being stopped by his teacher “Buuut its soooo sooooffft!!” he whined.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s getting . . . a bit weird,” she said not sure why she said it.</p><p> </p><p>He then laid his head on the sofa and started stroking it like it was a Persian “No noooo” he shook his free finger “The softness must stay” he was also doing his best Gollum impression.  </p><p> </p><p>“Ash you’re seventeen” Misty scolded “Act like it”</p><p> </p><p>With one last pout, the trainer sat properly and crossed his arms “I’m boooooorrrreeedddd!”</p><p> </p><p>Rolling her eyes “Then why are you here?”</p><p> </p><p>He faced her “Because I want my fifty”</p><p> </p><p>Groaning and looking at the ceiling “Well you’re not getting it till later” it was only after she said it that she realized what she said “I mean never”</p><p> </p><p>“So you admit you can’t do it,” he said with a cheeky smile.</p><p> </p><p>“I can do it, and I will do it” she kept her chin high “I’m just waiting for the proper moment”</p><p> </p><p>“Which is him breaking up with you”</p><p> </p><p>Misty glared at the boy “He’s not gonna break up with me . . . again”</p><p> </p><p>Ash raised his hands “Mist, it’s getting tiring” he said in a slightly more serious tone “For two whole years you’ve been on again off again with this guy, who from your constant rants that I get from your letters and calls, is a grade A a-hole”</p><p> </p><p>“Ok” Misty nodded slowly “Yes I did say that he has the tendency to think of himself more at certain times, and the fact that we hadn’t seen each other for a month and he says we needed space”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m starting to wonder if I see you more than you see him” Ash pondered “I’m half way around the world and he’s half way across the block”</p><p> </p><p>She placed her hands on her face “Oh Arceus I hate it when you’re right”</p><p> </p><p>“Are you sure about that?” he raised a brow.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re right” hands still on face “I’m pissed that you’ve been constantly right”</p><p> </p><p>“Yay” Ash did a brief smile before he went back to business “So why do you still stay with him?”</p><p> </p><p>She slowly dropped her hands from her face “I don’t know”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s a load of Muk (2)” Ash stood up “You’ve been playing Mother Theresa here and you don’t why”</p><p> </p><p>She stared at him “I prefer Joan of Arc”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh you want to be burned on holy fire? I’ll go get your Gyrados then”</p><p> </p><p>A small laugh escaped Misty’s lips “He’s romantic”</p><p> </p><p>Ash blinked “He’s what?”</p><p> </p><p>“The reason why I liked him was because he was romantic” she sighed and leaned back against the couch “He would do these things you see done in romantic movies and he’d make you feel like you’re a special girl”</p><p> </p><p>“Ohhhh” Ash nodded slowly.</p><p> </p><p>Continuing on her daydreams of romance “And whenever we had a fight, he would send me these poems, on a letter handwritten and well he got me there”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh dear Moltres I forgot you were as hopeless as the rest of them” he turned to exit the living room “Where are they?”</p><p> </p><p>“Where are what?” she asked.</p><p> </p><p>“The poems”</p><p> </p><p>“They’re in my room” she blinked.</p><p> </p><p>He paused for a moment “Are they in the box under your bed”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes . . .” Misty stood up “How did you know . . .” before she knew it Ash was no longer there. “What would he do . . .”</p><p> </p><p>She then saw Ash carry a small box heading outside of the house.</p><p> </p><p>“Ash what are you doing!?” she chased the boy to the outside of the gym.</p><p> </p><p>The said trainer looked around his surroundings looking for a spot. He decided to go for the spot right next to the fountain. Ash then dropped the box on the floor and brought out a PokeBall from his pocket.</p><p> </p><p>Misty was standing from afar wondering what her friend was thinking.</p><p> </p><p>“Talonflame I choose you!”</p><p> </p><p>At this her eyes went wide “ASH WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!????” she ran over to the boy and the fire type.</p><p> </p><p>Ash turned to her “I think it’s about time you let go”</p><p> </p><p>“ASH WHAT IF ITS LEAGUE DOCUMENTS YOU’RE BURNING THERE!!!” the gym leader growled taking the box away from him.</p><p> </p><p>The raven head placed his hands on his hips “Misty, how stupid do you think I am?”</p><p> </p><p>“Very if you’re pulling this kind of stunt” she hugged the box tighter.</p><p> </p><p>“Misty, I know very well you keep your paperwork in your office” he crossed his arms “Because you hate looking at them so much I know you would banish them the house altogether much less your room”</p><p> </p><p>The redhead gulped “Well what if this is the overtime . . . work?”</p><p> </p><p>“Then why don’t we open the box” Ash took off the lid of the box and tossed it.</p><p> </p><p>Misty quickly turned away “You already know what’s in the box!” she grabbed the lid closed the box and held onto the thing like it was the Ark of the Covenant.</p><p> </p><p>“I really don’t” he then brought out a tiny piece of paper “Which was why I took out a sample”</p><p> </p><p>Misty stared at the piece of paper in Ash’s hands “Give that . . .”</p><p> </p><p>“Beauty and love are all my dream; they change not with the changing day” he recited what was written on the paper “Lover stays forever like a stream, that flows but never flows away”</p><p> </p><p>“Give. That. Back.” The redhead growled.</p><p> </p><p>“Weird this looks more like you’re handwriting” he held the paper against the sun “Don’t tell me you guys are those kinds of couples who even copy each other’s handwriting”</p><p> </p><p>She tried to snatch the paper from his hands but it was deemed a little difficult due to the fact that Ash stood tall at 6’2 with Misty herself being only 5’7. “ASH GIVE IT BACK!”</p><p> </p><p>He raised his hand up high so as he read the other contents of the paper “Don’t tell me you’ve been writing love notes to yourself”</p><p> </p><p>Jumping her highest “Would you stop it with the invasion of privacy already!”</p><p> </p><p>Ash backed away “Wait a minute” he lowered his hand just enough that gave Misty the opportunity to snatch it “There’s a Dear Ash here”</p><p> </p><p>She crumpled the piece of paper “That . . . was a scrap paper”</p><p> </p><p>He looked at the box then at Misty “That seemed like one fancy piece of scrap”</p><p> </p><p>“You know how my sisters like to over-do everything” Misty tried to sound casual “Even the stationary is fancy”</p><p> </p><p>“Talon?” the ignored bird Pokémon decided to voice out that he was there.</p><p> </p><p>This made both teenagers jump, Ash felt bad for bringing out the bird for nothing and decided to make the Pokémon look for Pikachu instead. (Since Ash was starting to wonder where his buddy headed off the moment he stepped into the Cerulean gym).</p><p> </p><p>In the midst of Ash’s distraction, Misty tried to head back to the gym and put the box just where it was supposed to be, right under her bed. “I can’t believe he even got into my room that easily” the redhead muttered.</p><p> </p><p>“HEY! I’M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET!” Ash yelled and ran after Misty blocking her way into the gym.</p><p> </p><p>“ASH! COULD YOU JUST DROP IT!?”</p><p> </p><p>“Not until you drop the box”</p><p> </p><p>“Well I don’t plan on doing so!”</p><p> </p><p>Ash sighed “Seriously Misty what ever happened to your strong will?”</p><p> </p><p>“Right here, protecting whatever’s left of my personal space!”</p><p> </p><p>He paused for a moment “Good one”</p><p> </p><p>“I know now please just let me pass so I could throw this box into a fire”</p><p> </p><p>He gave her a confused look “Wait, didn’t you just stop me a while back earlier from burning that thing?”</p><p> </p><p>“Now tell me why you wanted to burn this thing in the first place!” she swears she’s going to get a sore throat tonight from all this yelling she’d been doing.</p><p> </p><p>“Well because I thought that whatever was in that box was stuff that reminded you of Jeff, and I assumed if I destroyed them then you wouldn’t feel an attachment to him and then you wouldn’t well . . . have second thoughts breaking up with him” he sighed after saying all that.</p><p> </p><p>The gym leader stared at him with slightly widened eyes “. . . Why . . . would you do that?”</p><p> </p><p>Ash opened his mouth as if to say something then thought better of it, closed his mouth then rubbed his chin wondering indeed why he would go so far as to burn things that reminded Misty of her boyfriend, that seemed like crossing the line a little too much despite the stature of their friendship.</p><p> </p><p>“Well?” Misty asked waiting for an answer.</p><p> </p><p>Opening his mouth, closing then opening again “I don’t . . . like seeing you sad . . .”</p><p> </p><p>It wasn’t quite hot in Cerulean compared to the islands of Alola, Ash noted. Despite this, though he found himself sweating, he did not know why though. Usually, he sweated whenever he was nervous during a battle and his Pokémon were getting injured badly. But this wasn’t a battle, he was just facing Misty. His dear old friend Misty. The same Misty who abused him with a mallet. The same Misty who would go hook or by crook just to catch a cute water Pokémon.</p><p> </p><p>Hmm . . . he was probably anticipating the mallet.</p><p> </p><p>“Why did you think I was sad?” she spoke, her voice soft and she was looking at the box avoiding his gaze.</p><p> </p><p>He blinked. Oh good no mallet. It had been such a long since the last hit he wasn’t prepared for such an attack. “Umm . . .”</p><p> </p><p>“Do you think that I’m the type of girl who would cry in the corner just for some snotty rich kid?” she wasn’t shouting but her voice was definitely louder than her whisper earlier.</p><p> </p><p>He shook his head “No no no, it’s not that” he gulped “I just . . . well you’re not miserable with him . . . but you’re also not happy with him”</p><p> </p><p>Misty gave his words a thought. Jeff may be what every other girl would fantasize over; he was good-looking, rich, and romantic with all that jazz. But for some reason she wasn’t happy, she wasn’t sad either.</p><p> </p><p>She was bored with him.</p><p> </p><p>“Hold this” she shoved Ash the box and brought out her PokeGear.</p><p> </p><p>Ash took the box without complaints as he watched Misty walk away with the phone in her ear. She walked for a few steps, raised her head to the sky, then looked down; she kicked her foot at an imaginary rock then lifted her head up again.</p><p> </p><p>He couldn’t hear the conversation that much. He didn’t know why out of all the times it was now when the Rocket Construction Agency choose this time to start drilling a hole right in front of the gym. It was just outright ridiculous even and Ash wondered why Misty went closer to the construction sound than farther. It was as though she didn’t want to hear whatever her boyfriend was saying.</p><p> </p><p>He could see a couple of Pidgeotto flying away from the noise and Ash couldn’t help but wince at the sound of the jackhammer. After deciding that he wasn’t a noise masochist like Misty he retreated to the gym hoping to give his ears a break.</p><p> </p><p>“Better return this before Misty kills me with borrowed construction equipment” he then went up the stairs and was almost there when all of a sudden Pikachu came running past him. He almost tripped if he didn’t hold onto the wall.</p><p> </p><p>“Pikachu! What’s the . . .” before he could say anything Talonflame came flying over and in an attempt to avoid the bird Ash slipped and fell down the stairs.</p><p> </p><p>In the midst of his fall, Ash threw the box into the air sending the papers flying. If you were to watch his fall in slow motion the thrown away papers created a beautiful effect like giant snowflakes or confetti that declared the arrival of Talonflame. Even Pikachu couldn’t help but stand in awe at the beautiful scenery.</p><p> </p><p>It all ended with one loud ‘thump’. And a crack. And a little groan. Which was followed by a barrage of curse words from Ash due to the fact that his back was starting to hurt like hell.</p><p> </p><p>A piece of paper then floated around and landed on his face.</p><p> </p><p>“Pika?” the yellow rodent went over to his owner poking his chest.</p><p> </p><p>Talonflame on the other hand looked guilty due to injuring the trainer.</p><p> </p><p>Ash then sat up removing the piece of paper that landed on his face and gave a closer look at what was written.</p><p> </p><p>“This definitely isn’t about Jeff”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>She had finally done it.</p><p> </p><p>Honestly Misty wondered why she even had a problem doing it in the first place. Sure the guy was obviously angered by her decision to end their relationship, and she was sure that in the following days he would use various ways to get back together.</p><p> </p><p>But right now Misty was basking in a moment of triumph. She finally told him what she found wrong in their relationship, finally got mad at him, and finally gave him a piece of her mind.</p><p> </p><p>Maybe she should start burning all his gifts.</p><p> </p><p>She entered the gym “Guess what Ketchum!” she waved her PokeGear in the air “I finally did it!” she placed her hands on her hips “So it’s you who owes me the fifty!”</p><p> </p><p>She got no reply from the raven head trainer and she assumed he was either sulking in the corner because of her victory or devouring everything in her fridge.</p><p> </p><p>Sighing the woman went around the gym looking for the boy. After seeing no signs of him (or a challenger lucky for her) she headed for the house portion of the gym.</p><p> </p><p>“Ash!” Misty called peeping into the kitchen finding it empty “Now where . . . wait” she then remembered that she had given him the box earlier. “Oh Arceus!” by this, she was running around the house looking around every room ready to murder the boy.</p><p> </p><p>“ASH KETCHUM SHOW YOU SHOW YOUR BLOODY FACE HERE RIGHT NOW!!!” her face was flushing, both from running around and embarrassment.</p><p> </p><p>It was when she reached her room that all her fears were confirmed.</p><p> </p><p>Ash was seated on her bed, the box was on his left side, and on his right were stacked papers and notes. As of the moment, he was reading another note in his hand.</p><p> </p><p>Immediately Misty snatched the note from his hand “HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF PRIVACY!?”</p><p> </p><p>Immediately Ash looked up “I was reading that”</p><p> </p><p>She looked at the pile next to him “Don’t tell me your read all of that?!”</p><p> </p><p>“Yup” he nodded “At first I thought these were collections of poems cause I saw a Dante one earlier then as I got deeper I noticed how . . . they seemed to be getting more specific”</p><p> </p><p>Crumpling the paper in her hand and closing her eyes “How many did you read?”</p><p> </p><p>“I read the ‘Bike Snatcher’ the ‘Idiot Savant’ the ‘Moonlight Festival’ and . . .” he paused for a moment pointing at the crumpled paper in her hands “I Should Have Stayed”</p><p> </p><p>Sighing she uncrumpled the paper in her hands. She stared at her handwriting. “You know . . . I wrote this the night I got back here”</p><p> </p><p>Ash was looking at her.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s weird really. I stared at the bike actually hating it. I thought that it was the one thing the broke us apart, even though it practically did the opposite” she sat next to him and flattened the paper on her lap “You see the smudges here on the third verse? That was when I started crying, which I did quite a lot in the first week. I didn’t really notice it at first but then the paper started to get soggy.”</p><p> </p><p>He just stared at her.</p><p> </p><p>“I tried sending you one cause my sisters tell me I’m a lost cause” she snorted “But then I told them that you probably wouldn’t get it anyway, and I assumed that . . . well you wouldn’t feel the same way”</p><p> </p><p>Ash bit his lip.</p><p> </p><p>Misty refused to look at him.</p><p> </p><p>Ash stared at Misty’s door as if something was so interesting about the baby blue colored door.</p><p> </p><p>Misty tapped her foot fast thinking she probably ruined her friendship with Ash at this point.</p><p> </p><p>He called her name.</p><p> </p><p>She refused to look.</p><p> </p><p>He called her again.</p><p> </p><p>This time she looked.</p><p> </p><p>He took a deep breath “So . . . it’s over . . . with him . . . this time?”</p><p> </p><p>Without skipping a beat “Yes . . . it is”</p><p> </p><p>“What about with me?”</p><p> </p><p>She had a very long answer to that.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Carnation (I Do by Colbie Calliat)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Daisy Oak’s marriage to Sunnyshore City gym leader Volkner Shock was an event to behold. Every newspaper, gossip reporter, and podcaster surrounded the tiny town of Pallet for the event. Despite being a small sleepy town the residents of Pallet were very used to the media’s sudden bash into their town. It didn’t help that a few of the most popular League personalities were from there.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As per usual, the residents were to cover their blinds from the flashing of cameras, prepare made-up statements in case of interviews, sprinklers in case the paparazzi were messing with their rutabagas, and poisoned pumpkin pie for the tabloid people.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can’t believe you guys poison people on a regular basis” Misty stated as she saw Delia placed the final touches on her laxative lemon pie.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The woman removed her mittens “Those pests need to be taken care off, especially those from the Kanto Inquirer” she gave the young girl a smile “Didn’t they write an article about you skinny dipping in the Cerulean Cove with the Cinnabar Island gym leader?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At this, the redhead couldn’t help but cringe “Oh please Delia, don’t remind me about that one” she had never felt so many goosebumps from an article other than that. “Honestly, where did they even get the idea?! I haven’t even hung around the cove in ages and they hook me up with Blaine of all people!? I rather have a passionate love affair with Sabrina at this case”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I knew you were a lesbian!” both women turned to see the face of the oh so famous third-generation Oak “It explains how such a hot chick can turn down my inescapable charms”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Misty rolled her eyes at this “Dream on Gary” she then eyed the pie “Wanna grab some pie?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nice try Red” Gary winked “Mrs. Ketchum makes a very mean lemon pie, actually makes you stand by the toilet for a week”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A girl can dream” the redhead sighed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe a dream about me perhaps?” the young researcher said leaning against the kitchen island near Misty “But maybe we can make this fantasy into a reality”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Misty looked at him completely appalled “Dear Moltres of Holy Fire you’re even worse than Brock”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Watch your language young lady” Delia scolded good-naturedly “We don’t want Moltres to come down and burn you”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who’s getting burned down?” Ash came into the kitchen yawning wearing a tight black shirt and green Garbodor pajamas. He then faced Gary rubbing his head which looked like it was hit by a tornado “What are you doing here?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gary stood up straight and smirked at his friend “Sis says that I need to reintroduce how a civilized society works”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh . . ,” Ash nodded before blinking “Hey! Kalos is not a barren wasteland!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then why is it that you look like you’ve come from worst” Gary crossed his arms “I mean seriously when you came back yesterday I swore you just crawled out from a wild pack of Meganium or something”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Leering Ash replied “There are no Meganium in Kalos”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Huh, I knew they thought backwards for a reason” Gary snorted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s enough you two” Delia said sighing “Honestly you two are almost twenty and yet you two still act like kids”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rubbing the back of his head “Sorry mom”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And Ash” Delia rose a brow at her son “Don’t you have someone else to acknowledge in this room?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Again the Pokémon trainer looked confusingly at his mother before spotting a certain gym leader at the end of the kitchen island who was looking awkwardly at him. “Holy crap Misty!” the boy yelled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Misty suddenly became self-conscious of herself. She definitely wasn’t the skinny tomboy that he used to travel with. She no longer wore ponytails as she now sported a pixie cut which emphasized her facial features. She was currently wearing a sleeveless V-neck blouse that showed off a bit of her cleavage, a leather pencil skirt, black stockings, and black boots. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She really hated it when her sisters raid her once simple wardrobe and turn it into skimpy clothing like what she wore now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> Ignoring her awkward silence Ash spread wide his arms, his carefree persona definitely still present after all these years “Come over here I haven’t seen you since forever!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gary covered his nose “I don’t think a lady like her would wanna be near your BO”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re just jealous because I smell oh so natural” Ash countered “Not like that nauseating body spray you always wear”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“At least you know what I smell like” Gary smirked still holding his nose “For all we know you could be sprayed on with eau de Muk shit”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Delia groaned once again at the teenagers used of foul language “Why do I even bother” and with that, she decided to go tend to find Mimey so that they could tend the garden where she would be surrounded by the beautiful sounds of the singing Pidgey rather than vulgar words sprayed up and about.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Misty was still sat on her seat wondering if she should go ahead and hug the boy. She didn’t expect him to greet her like that, as he’d said they haven’t been in each other’s presence for that long. Sure they chat every once in a while online when Ash actually gets a WiFi connection and remembers his PokéBook password (he’s had seven accounts because of this). But that also was far and between; this was the actual first time that they’ve seen each other face to face since he dropped her off in Cerulean when he was still competing in the Kanto Battle Frontier.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The raven head frowned at her hesitance “Come on Mist, don’t leave me hanging here”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Save it Ashy-boy she can’t handle your </span>
  <em>
    <span>natural</span>
  </em>
  <span> charm anymore” Gary teased.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At this, the gym leader stood up “It’s your charm I can’t handle Oak” she then went over to her old friend “Sorry, I just don’t know . . .” she was cut off when Ash enveloped her in a big Bewear hug.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aww, come on Mist” he hugged her tighter as though he was trying to make up for lost time “You know no matter how slutty your clothes are you’re still a scrawny tomboy to me”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her face was on his chest and she could definitely smell the woodsy scent that came from all the traveling he’s been “You take that back Ketchum” she looked up at him her arms hitting his chest “I still have my mallet”</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So how was suit fitting with Gary,” Misty asked later that day after the boy had come back from Viridian for a fitting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ash groaned “I already have a suit but nooooo, they demand I get a new one” Ash threw his shoes somewhere in the house and saw Misty in the living room full of flowers. “I asked if they got those bullet proof stuff like in John Wick but the tailor gave me a weird look”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pipipika pi” Pikachu got off his master’s shoulder and went over to the redhead who was currently arranging flowers on the couch.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span> “Well technically what Daisy wanted was a tux” she gave the yellow rodent a rub on the head “Aww, I haven’t seen you in ages as well”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Chaaa” the starter cooed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Suit, tux, same thing. They both choke my neck either way” he was about to collapse on the couch when Misty spanked his butt.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“ASH! Don’t sit on the carnations!” she scolded.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pikachu also jumped at the red head’s sudden actions.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rubbing his slightly sore bottom “You could have just yelled no hanky panky”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At this, the redhead realized what she just did “If I didn’t do it you would have crushed the flowers” she was blushing the second time that day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ash stared at the stalk of pink flowers “Why did you put them in the couch then”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“As you can see” she waved her hand at the several other flowers stocked on the coffee table “The table is a bit occupied”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Groaning the trainer poked his finger at one of the orchids “Why did you turn this room into a tropical sanctuary?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I thought you loved nature” Misty said cutting stems, Pikachu was next to her catching the fallen stems into a bowl (where he got the bowl and what he plans to do with the stems remains another Pikachu Mystery). </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I do, but I’ve live long through enough end of the world disasters that too much is too much” and with that Ash sneezed at the pollen. “See what I mean” he rubbed his nose.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The read head rolled her eyes and resumed her cutting “As careful as always”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He eyed the girl “I could say the same for you, are you sure you won’t get any pollen on your . . . chest” if he said anything more adult that bust Ash was sure the flowers would not be used for a wedding but rather his own funeral.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The gym leader snapped a stem and gave Ash a look that made him gulps and Pikachu shake his head at his stupid master’s expense. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m wearing a bra, I’m not as daring as my sister’s to go bare,” she said calmly then proceeded back to her cutting.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Blinking “But you’re still a little . . . underdressed . . .” he needed a thesaurus if he wanted to keep up with the generic words he was using.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Again she paused then stared at her chest then back at the flower “I might have caught on pollen already, I’ve been during this since Gary took you to Viridian”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t know carnations had pollen,” he said picking up one from the vase.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“All flowers have pollen” Misty raised a brow “You should know this from all the times you got sick from them”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He lowered the pink flower “Mist that was one time. And mine was a special case. It wasn’t an ordinary flower; it was one big Villeplume using Stun Spore!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Chuckling to herself “I wouldn’t be surprised if you encountered similar events during your travels”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Raising a finger “I rather not comment on that”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Glad to know you finally know manners”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh please I know manners; I just use it when I’m talking to proper ladies” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I take it back; you’re a rude barbarian as ever”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And you’re the amazona who’ll kill us all”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Misty snorted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? You’re gonna torture us before you kill us?” Ash raised a brow “You really don’t have mercy do you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not that” she put down her scissors, taking a much-needed break “Just thought of . . . you know how easy it is to talk to you again”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ash got a little taken back by her comment “Since when did I become hard to talk to? Not unless you suddenly went posh on me while I was gone and I really am a barbeque to you”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Barbarian” Misty corrected.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Not caring one bit about the correction “I’m pretty sure they invented barbeque either way”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No they did not . . .” she cut herself from going on an explanation on the difference between Europeans and Americans “Anyway, I’m not being posh. I’m just saying I thought it was going to be a little . . . awkward talking to you since we hadn’t seen each other face to face in such a long time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ash stood in front of the girl and bent down to look at her “You know to be honest I kinda felt the same.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her eyes widened in surprise “You did?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah . . . I mean . . . look at you” he raised his hands awkwardly when Misty gave him a look “I mean I don’t mean it in a very . . . not clean way . . . I’m just saying you’re all grown up now. You’re starting to look like you’re sisters and from what I read in League Pass Weekly you’re one of the top gym leaders in Indigo right now.” He panted from saying all of that “So yeah, I was kinda worried that you might have changed a bit and we wouldn’t have the same ‘Are to’ ‘Are not’ banter we had as kids”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She eyed the boy . . . almost grown man in front of her. She really didn’t think that the idiot who fried her bike so long ago would turn into the idiot best friend she now had in front of her. “You know in a way we kinda did change”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well yeah . . .” he shrugged “I’m taller than you”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She automatically pouted at this “Yes . . . you did”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ash chuckled “For a moment there I thought you were gonna deny it”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re practically six inches taller than me!” she stood up and waved her hand showing just how large their height gap was “And to think I’m actually taller that most people in my family”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not your fault you have midget genes”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I do not”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes you do”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Not”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“To”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No . . .” Misty smiled and pointed at him “You intentionally did that didn’t you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do what?” Ash asked confusingly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She waved her hand never mind. She then picked up the vase of carnations “Come on, we gotta do dinner rehearsals remember?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh don’t remind me” he groaned following her out of the living room “Hey Mist”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She turned around “Yes”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you know which bridesmaid I’m supposed to be paired with?” he scratched his head “Like, I only knew I was a groomsmen this morning”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Misty was glad she had her back faced at him or he could have seen her furious blush “Umm . . . it’s me . . .”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh cool” Ash nodded taking the information quite calmly “Does that mean we walk the aisle together?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Umm . . . yeah?” she faced him unsurely.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With a smile on his face “That’s awesome, it’ll be great practice!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At this Misty’s eyes went wide as saucers. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Since when did he become this forward???, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she thought. “. . . .Uhh . . . practice for what?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“For when Brock and Tracy get married,” he said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world “I mean . . . not Brock marrying Tracy . . . I mean they’re both straight . . . what I meant was being married separately.” He paused “Not like I would well stop them if they ever got married to each other, I have totally nothing against choosing what you believe in . . .”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Misty let out a breath. Just how hopeless was he?</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Damsel (One Night by Matthew Koma)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Professor Oak was happily giving the newlywed couple a charming speech about marriage, children, life, and how to win the argument about the toilet seat. People would think of this as aged old wisdom but to most close friends of the respected man it was clear that he had too much fruit wine.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The guests would laugh at the Professor, some for his charming speech and jokes, some for how funny he looked drunk, at some at the bitter irony that Oak himself had a failed marriage that brought tension to their family for quite some time (though that might be mentioned some other time as it is not only inappropriate but quite embarrassing).</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Daisy, the said professor's granddaughter and also the bride of the event, had a face that showed both amusement at the old man but some sort of pitiful shame for the old man. Despite this obvious discomfort, she looked quite radiant in her Guipure Lace, Embroidered Tulle, and Organza Wedding Dress. The dress had a long sleeve bodice with yoke and sleeves in Nude Tulle and a sweetheart neckline on the lining. Scattered with Guipure Lace appliqués along the bodice and sleeves. Fabric belt at waist and side pockets. Full circle skirt in Embroidered Tulle finished with 4” Mawile hair edging on the hem. The dress was designed by famous Kalos fashion designer Valerie Mache.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Among the guests seated on the table with the rest of the bridesmaids who all wore black chiffon gowns was Misty, who was trying so hard to draw herself out of the conversation her fellow bridesmaids were having.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh this floral playsuit is so all the range,” said one of the maids whom she would call Stacy because that seemed like the perfect name for a blonde bimbo with a valley girl cockney accent “I like saw Jasmine, you know the Olivine City gym leader?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her friend, another blonde though his hair was slightly lighter than one shade and her voice sounded lower and dumber than Stacy. Misty decided to name her uhh . . . Alice? Marsha? Claudia? Meg. Yes, let’s go with Meg.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>So Meg rolled her eyes at Stacy “Umm duhh, I so totally know who Jasmine is” she waved her hand dismissively “Like I so totally don’t get it what people see in her, like yeah”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh my goooossssh Meg” Stacy drawled her ‘gosh’ after being appalled by her friend “She’s like so fashion forward, like the paparazzi were following her everywhere in Seafoam Islands”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You totally have no life, I’ve seen way better with Fantina in her bathing suit” again rolling her eyes exaggeratingly “That’s cone bra is way more fashion forward than floral”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Stacy then snorted in reply “You clearly have no taste, that cone bra was so 2009”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well floral is seventies” Meg flipped her hair.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well retro is the new uhhh metro or something, like it’s hot right now”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Misty downed what she assumed was her third glass of damassine in the past hour, why oh why did she have to get the table with these . . . airheads? Well it did not help that she wasn’t exactly that deep into Daisy Oak’s social circle, she may be friends with the bride but everyone else was a stranger to her. Misty swore that the number of people she knew in the room could be counted using one hand.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Any reasonable person would have told Misty that she could just leave the table and save herself from another pilgrimage of hearing about how retro Stacy was. But Misty was engrained with manners from both her grandmother and older sister regarding the etiquette during weddings, mainly do not leave said table when speeches by the immediate family are being delivered. Misty didn’t know if this unspoken rule was an actual rule or some hullabaloo her sister and grandma made up so she wouldn’t run around during the reception when she was a little girl.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But she respected Professor Oak and decided to sit in throughout his speech, even though she could hardly even hear it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey aren’t you like . . . uhh the gym leader around here or something,” said Meg who was inappropriately poking her bareback which was exposed because of the stupid design of the stupid dress.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Misty held in a groan but didn’t smile to face Meg either “Yes, I am a gym leader from the Kanto area.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At the Meg laugh “Told ya Stace, she’s not a nobody” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah right” Stacy rolled her eyes “And what like gym do you like . . . um lead?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Misty swears she needs something stronger to get through this night “I’m the leader of the Cerulean gym , you know, the one with water? And like a biiig giant pool”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It took a moment for Stacy to register it to her brain before she nodded slowly “Oh yeeah, you mean like the sensational sisters?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh great Ho-oh why have you forsaken me</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Misty thought “Yes, I am one of the sensational sisters”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No you’re not” Stacy again rolled her eyes, like it was the only thing she was capable of doing as a human specie “Like you . . . so don’t look like them . . . they’ve got like . . .” she then proceeded to hold her own double D chest which was obviously not touched by an angel “Nothing in here”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Making a very strained smile which could be seen in serial killers who’ve had enough of their very dumb victim “Well apparently that part skipped me sadly”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh come one Stace . . .” Meg waved her hand “Don’t be soo hard on her, after all she’s just had a sex change, maybe boobs will come like later”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The redhead clenched unto her wine glass and was taking a LOT of WILL POWER to stop herself from bursting their silicon chests with the said wine glass.  </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ohh my gooosh” Stacy turned her attention elsewhere “Like Meg, who’s that guy over at the bar?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Stace, it’s the bartender” Meg turned to where Stacy was pointed then gasped “Oh my gosh that guy sitting over the bar is cute”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Like that’s the guy I was talking about earlier!” Stacy whined.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No you weren’t, you pointing at the ugly bartender” Meg cocked her head to get a better view of the guy “He looks so familiar”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know right?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Misty for some reason decided to see indeed who was the latest fascination of the two knuckleheads, only for her to gulp when she realized who he was.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh my gosh now I remember, it’s Ketchup!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Meg hit Stacy in the face (probably playfully but that slap was quite hard) “Get your facts straight Stace, that’s Catchit!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No it’s Ketchup! You know Gary’s best friend?” Meg seemed unharmed by the violence that took place earlier.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Exactly it’s Catchit!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s Ketchup!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Catchit!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s Ash” Misty butted in before drinking directly from the damassine bottle, not caring if anyone wanted any.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At this, both blonde’s turned to Misty and blinked quite dumbly before looking at themselves and saying at the same time “No it’s not its Jeffrey!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At this Misty spat the alcohol from her mouth, in a very unladylike fashion. </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The reception seemed to be going on a little too long for Ash’s taste. He had eaten dinner, twice. Ok maybe thrice but no one seemed to be bothered by it. Had a chat with most Oak members that he knew including Uncle Ben who seems to almost be in the hospital, Sir Elton who recently bought an apartment for his unborn child, Aunt May who seems to be getting younger every time Ash sees her, Madame Donna the one who abandoned her brother under the bridge and cousin K who claims yet again to be Arceus in human form. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He even played several rounds of three-card brag with Gary and Volkner’s cousins, Ash lost most times because he didn’t the rules and decided to retreat before he lost any more money in the process. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Pikachu was currently still playing and from the sounds of groans coming from the table, he could assume that the electric mouse had won yet again. So now Ash was by the bar waiting for his Pisco sour as well as for the party to just be done and over.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He felt very uncomfortable in the suit, mainly because of the tie because it was slowly killing him. He was currently dressed in a charcoal grey wool-mohair-silk blend notched lapel two-piece suit, he had a fedora on because he didn’t really want to go through all the trouble of taming his hair with hair gel (it was such a struggle that even Gary gave up and just gave Ash lard). </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is gonna take forever” the trainer then scanned the reception area; as of now-former Elite Four member and Samuel Oak’s ex-wife, Agatha Kikuko was giving a speech on how her granddaughter should forget all the things the professor said earlier because it was those same things that ruined their marriage in the first place.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And this was the reason why Gary would very much like to remain a bachelor as much as possible, or until his grandparents become incapable of speech. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Having seen these awkward encounters several times in the course of his friendship with the Oaks, Ash decided to avert his attention to the guests. He could spot his mother instantly, dressed in a vermillion colored Alexander Wang ladder-stitch gown, which Ash remembered spending a thousand or so PokeCoins on. He still thinks why such clothing was expensive then he remembered how much Dawn, May, and Serena spent on their Pokémon and came to the conclusion that the fashion industry is a very greedy business. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ash could also see Tracy awkwardly trying to turn down the advances of Volknier’s gay uncle, whom Ash forgot what his name was, he seemed like a cool guy and didn’t really think much of his sexuality and even played along with the man when he flirted with him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His eyes then went over to the bridesmaid table and he raised his brow when he noticed that almost all the girls had blond hair. This was weird because during the wedding he swore there were one or two brunettes as well; either the lighting was bad or his vision was getting bad again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>What caught the raven head’s attention though was the sight of the single redhead on the table, who was clenching unto a bottle of wine, had a very disgusted look on her face, and this may seem irrelevant but she looked quite hot. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sir your drink,” said the bartender presenting Ash with his pisco sour.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Grabbing his drink Ash left the bar and made a beeline for the young gym leader’s table. After doing weird gestures getting through the ocean of tables and almost spilling his drink on a rich lady’s Charcjabug, he finally reached Misty.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He tried to sneak over behind Misty and surprise her from behind, he thought he was being smooth but if the woman wasn’t already preoccupied being pissed at the blondes then she would have noticed him either way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey Mist!” Ash placed a hand on her shoulder which made the redhead not only stop growling but look behind her in surprise. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At this, there were two blondes who gasped at him “Oh my gosh! It’s Ketchup!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“For the last time Kim!” said the other blonde who was lighter by one shade “It’s Catchit!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Immediately Misty took the drink Ash had in his hand, drank it all in one shot, slammed it on the table, and pulled Ash’s collar “Take me away from here” she seethed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ash blinked for a moment, seeming confused at whatever was happening at the table “Uhh, but I just got here”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just do it!” she clenched tighter unto his collar “Or else I’ll get my mallet”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The raven head snorted “Oh fine” he then helped Misty up who apparently now couldn’t use her legs because of all the alcohol she’d been consuming through the night. “Gosh Mist since when did you sudden gain ten pounds”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>In reply, Misty hit his ribs “Dat’s nat watcha say ta a ladeh!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rolling his eyes “Oh please, you’re not a damsel to begin with”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Effort (Holocene by Bon Iver)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I’ll call you later,” Misty said hanging up on her sister ignoring whatever protests the older girl made. She threw her phone not minding where it landed in her spacious flat.</p><p> </p><p>It was considered spacious since there wasn’t much furniture to fill the space. The apartment came in with a dead beat grey couch, a faded white bookshelf that was slowly falling apart, the duty gas stoves in the kitchen, and the surprisingly clean toilet and shower in the bathroom. The stuff Misty added to the place was the blue Horsea rug, two Pokeball plushies (one in which she uses to sleep on), and her clothes and other personal items.</p><p> </p><p>She slept on the floor because she didn’t have enough money to buy a mattress and the old bed that came with the place was now a Wurmple nest, and the mother Dustox did not look like she wanted to share.</p><p> </p><p>Her stuff was strewed around the place; she would pick her clothes on the floor before she went out and threw them when she came home. There was a pile of Chinese and pizza takeouts that needed to be thrown but abandoned by either laziness or forgetfulness.</p><p> </p><p>If one were to come in they would wonder if she was a crack addict or a homeless person, both of which Misty had arguments for. She wasn’t a crack addict but she admits alcoholism, she’s not a homeless person but if she doesn’t pay the rent by the end of the month she will be.</p><p> </p><p>One would wonder why she did this to herself. Back in Cerulean, she had a proper bed to sleep in, there was actual food in the fridge, there weren’t bug Pokémon hiding the corners of the house and there were people who worried about her. Unlike here in Rusboro where she was completely alone, sure she knew some people but merely by their occupation (like convenience store guy, nurse joy, officer jenny, and homeless guy Nick).</p><p> </p><p>Now, why did Misty come here? She didn’t know either. No, she did know, she knew very well but her damn pride made her deny it. It was naivety that brought her there and it was stubbornness that made her stay.</p><p> </p><p>It was currently 2 am; she didn’t know what day it was. For all, she knew Sunday was not much different from a Thursday. She was on the floor, as usual, her blanket covering her and a laptop on the floor playing Mulberry. An old British show about a Grim Reaper who seemed to be too nice to the people who he sent into the afterlife.</p><p> </p><p>“Wonder when the Grim Reaper will take me” the redhead wondered aloud. It was a cold night that morning and Misty felt it as the strong winds entered her apartment. The girl shivered and groaned, cursing herself for drunkenly burning her clothes one night a few weeks ago. She stood up from her spot, the blanket still wrapped around her, to close that damn window.</p><p> </p><p>As she closed the window Misty took notice of her neighbor. Right across her flat was another flat owned by some guy. Whenever she passed by the window she would see the guy and for some reason, she would stop and stare at what this particular person was doing.</p><p> </p><p>His window was quite large, almost the size of one seen in a shopping mall. This was why Misty could usually see whatever this particular man was doing and the rest of his living room along with it. The young man seemed to be her age, well she assumed, she never really saw him in person. From what she knew he had dark black hair that was quite messy he almost looked like an anime character due to how the spikes went everywhere, she could tell he was quite tanned, and by using the lamp that both the man and she had Misty had assumed he was at least a head taller than her.</p><p> </p><p>She knew that this guy had more furniture than her; in fact, his living room looked like something out of an Ikea display. She could tell that the door on the right led to his bedroom and the door on his left went to the bathroom. She knew that he spent his evenings either playing video games, chasing his Pikachu around the house, entertaining his mother who comes once every two weeks, sketching, or playing drinking games with his best friends who come on Fridays where they pass out on various places on the said living room.</p><p> </p><p>Misty did not know why she loved to monitor this person’s movements.</p><p> </p><p>Currently, the said neighbor was watching tv with his feet up on the sofa, his Pikachu snugly rested on his knee, and a box of popcorn next to him.</p><p> </p><p>“Why does he make living alone look so easy” she pondered aloud. She then turned back to her spot in front of her laptop and went on watching the old British show till she fell asleep.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The next morning Misty felt something crawl unto her leg. At first, she did not budge, wanting to continue her dream of having a nice house, with a picket fence, a perfect lawn along with a perfect husband wearing a nice white sweater with matching children wearing polka-dot dresses and a tiny version of the nice white sweater.</p><p> </p><p>The thing continued to crawl and by now the redhead was getting annoyed, eyes still closed she jerked her leg to hopefully get rid of the thing. After several attempts, she assumed it was gone as the tingling feeling on her legs stopped.</p><p> </p><p>She sunk deeper into her dream where she was also wearing a polka-dot dress and preparing her picture-perfect family lunch. It was only here when the lunch suddenly turned into something disgusting and left both dream Misty and real Misty screaming.</p><p> </p><p>Misty finally opened her eyes and it was in here where she found out what was crawling on her leg.</p><p> </p><p>A Wurmple.</p><p> </p><p>Misty gulped.</p><p> </p><p>The bug Pokémon stared.</p><p> </p><p>What followed was a scream it was probably heard throughout the entire block.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Pikachu’s head perked up at the sound of a scream. He was currently outside waiting for his owner when he heard it. The electric mouse cocked his head as if considering if he should do something about it, only for the scream to be heard again.</p><p> </p><p>“Wonder where that yelling is coming from?” Pikachu turned to see his owner step out of their building with a piece of toast in his mouth.</p><p> </p><p>“Pika . . .” Pikachu pointed at the apartment across them “Pipika pipi ka Chu”</p><p> </p><p>The raven head pulled the toast from his mouth “Do you think we should check it out?”</p><p> </p><p>Before Pikachu would consider it out of the building came a girl, dressed only in pink shorts and a blue tank top, running around in the cold morning of February. Her red hair was a total mess and for a moment Ash wondered if she was one of those Banshees his mother used to tell stories about when he was a child.</p><p> </p><p>The redhead girl was running around, completely ignoring the cold, with a tiny Wurmple stuck unto her leg holding on for a ride.</p><p> </p><p>It was already 9 in the morning so there were more than a couple of people outside. Several eyes aside from Ash and Pikachu were watching this strange girl trying to remove the bug Pokémon from her leg.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey, isn’t that . . . the weird hobo chick who lives in room #6?” Ash turned around to see Roxanne who had a cup of coffee in her hand.</p><p> </p><p>Ash raised a brow “Weird hobo chick?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well according to Nurse Joy there’s this girl from Kanto who came to live with her boyfriend a few months ago. She tried to surprise him by coming here but the guy never showed up. The girl then found out a few weeks later that he was marrying another girl from Littleroot Town and since then she’d been living in said boyfriend’s abandoned apartment.” Roxanne took a sip from her drink.</p><p> </p><p>Ash blinked “How many nurse Joy’s did you ask?”</p><p> </p><p>Roxanne thought for a moment “About four, they really like to gossip those Joys”</p><p> </p><p>The redhead girl was still screaming and Ash noticed that no one seemed to be helping her, some even looked away and went back to their own business. “Umm . . . maybe I should . . .” before Ash could get any closer he felt Roxanne’s hand on his shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t try” the girl said “She’s got quite a reputation, I heard from Officer Jenny that she once burned her clothes right in front of Devon Corp. and did a lap dance of the fountain”  </p><p> </p><p>Ash looked doubtful “You’re serious?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh that’s only the tip of the ice burg. When the officers tried to apprehend her she . . . peed on them.” Roxanne raised her palms at Ash’s incredulous look “Don’t believe me look it up on PokeTube. The crazy girl spent around two days in the slammer and all she did was scratched the walls and wail.”</p><p> </p><p>“I think she has a problem” Ash turned to the crazy redhead girl.</p><p> </p><p>“One of the Nurse Joy’s tried to get her in some institute but the damn girl knew how to hide” Roxanne rubbed her chin, “I think she has more than a lot of problems”</p><p> </p><p>“I think she needs our help”</p><p> </p><p>“Ash!” Roxanne waved her hands “Have you not listened to a single word I said? People have tried to help her! The landlord of the building, the officers, nurse joy heck even Steven Devon himself tried to sedate her and all he got was a bitten finger.”</p><p> </p><p>The raven head nodded “Well she was drunk at that time, maybe she isn’t now” as soon as Ash said that the red head girl began throwing snowballs at the Wurmple that won’t get off her leg.</p><p> </p><p>Roxanne sighed “Ash, I know you wanna help. Heck that’s basically your job you’re a social worker but there are just some people who are a lost cause to begin with”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, there’s nothing wrong with trying,” Ash said in his usual gung-ho fashion “Stubborn people who deny help are usually the ones who need it the most. And they’re lucky that I’m as stubborn as they are”</p><p> </p><p>Shaking her head the brunette shrugged “Well it’s your funeral Ketchum; I’ll get the first aid kit in case she hits your balls”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>And she did hit him in the balls.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Forest (Nina by Ed Sheeran)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>She met him when he was a kid, but then she was one as well. He was just a stupid boy that she had fished and stole her bike. She remembered that in the summer they’d fight about the weather until someone pushed the other into a nearby river. Under the stars were they used to lay as they listened to Brock’s snores on replay. They’d be in a new town almost every day and when they’re home it’s usually on Ash’s place they’d stay.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Getting lost, capturing new pokemon, battling Team Rocket, meeting new people, and accidentally eating a berry that would make them high. That was their life. They got each other’s back through good times and bad, through terrible puns and bad directions. They would talk about anything in late nights from his dreams, her sisters, his dad, and her fears for the future.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sometimes he’d even tell her she looked pretty without make-up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t even wear make-up!” she threw a rock at his sleeping bag.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The rock managed to hit his eye in the process “Ow! Hey couldn’t you even take a compliment!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She snorted “Oh please, I know you were totally joking there” she crossed her arms “You were trying to get my hopes weren’t you”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ash groaned “I don’t understand girls; you take everything as an insult”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Would you two go to sleep” Brock groaned trying to get back to his dream of Nurse Joys and Officer Jennys.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was a simple time then.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Then her sisters happened.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She knew it would come to this soon, but she didn’t expect it to happen at that time. The change was never an easy thing to adjust to and it was always painful the first time.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>But they were best friends, right? Nothing could stop them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She would get a video call once a week from him. He would say he missed her because she was more tolerable to camping and shopped less than May. Misty would then compare his appetite to her Gyrados and they’d have an argument that would last two hours and a large toll fee for Ash.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She would visit him in Hoenn sometimes and even travel a bit, just like the old times, or something similar at least.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When are you coming back?” he asked her again when everyone else was asleep.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She faced her old friend “Aren’t I already back?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Staring intently at the campfire “You know what I mean” he clicked his tongue “When are you </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>coming back?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I . . . ah . . .” she couldn’t face him because she didn’t have a straight answer “I . . . dunno”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two sat next to each other in silence until Max woke up seeing the two “What are you guys doing up so late?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That was the last night she had an all-nighter with Ash.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gym responsibilities come, even with her sisters back she couldn’t hand the gym back to them. They knew nothing of battling and it was a miracle that the gym still stood up to that point. With that said Misty was determined to get the Cerulean Gym back to its former glory.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Calls have been inconsistent as time went by usually occurring once a month if possible. Due to the rare calls, it seemed as though the little time of conversation they had was getting more and more impersonal. It didn’t help that Dawn or Kenny or some other person would but into their call and they would spend most of the time with introductions that catching up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She didn’t know where she got the idea of letter writing but it seemed like a better idea, in that way she could talk to him without awkward silences or disturbances, it was perfect. Sure there was the catch of her having to struggle to find what city he would be in at that time, it was little price to pay to say the least.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>When Ash came back from Sinnoh she was busy. It was currently League season in the Kanto region so Misty had battles to fight and a gym to defend. As much as she would like to take a day off she should know from experience that most young trainers get a little pesky when waiting for their gym battle.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She had just finished off a Dustox with her Starmie’s Ice Beam when she heard someone clapping inside the empty gym.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Looks like you didn’t slow down” yelled the familiar raven-head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She blushed red for a moment in shock before she pulled herself together and yelled back “Of course I didn’t I’m the best around here!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The cocky smirk on his face made her blood boil “Bring it on Mist”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare go high and mighty on me Ketchum!” she waved her clenched fist.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The two good friends had completely ignored the trainer who had just recalled his Dustox “Hey! I still have one Pokémon left you know!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They still had a connection, but for how long?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Unova being a region from literally the other side of the globe made letter deliveries quite difficult. By the time her birthday package reached him it was two weeks before Christmas.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>By now her sisters were setting her up for blind dates she didn’t want to be a part of. She understood the concern but she didn’t need a romantic distraction now she was busy. Her sisters thought otherwise.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Misty, long distance relationships are tricky,” Daisy said one breakfast morning. “Especially if the guy isn’t serious”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The redhead was currently chatting with the said boy on PokeChat “We’re just friends Daisy. He knows that”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Giving her younger sister a concerned look “He knows, but do you?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Looking up from her phone “I know what I’m doing sis”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was in here Violet entered the room “Hey Mist, someone’s here to see you”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sure they’re still friends, but are they still the best?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So she kissed you?” they were currently in a café with a weird nature theme that had tables designed like trees with the roots serving as chairs. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ash had just returned from Kalos and for the first time in a while, the two were alone and catching up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And he was talking about Serena.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh yeah . . . I didn’t really know how to react” Ash rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Misty took a sip of her jasmine tea “Well . . . I saw your posts online” she was having a hard time making eye contact with him “Are you two a thing already?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Trying to look at something else in the room “No . . . I don’t think I’m ready for that sort of thing” he then attempted to shift the conversation “How ‘bout you? How’s your life been lately?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Before she could say anything Lily had come rushing into their table “MISTY! Gyrados is loose again!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Her life? It seemed like a blur for her at this point. It’s all maintenance, gym battles, paperwork, meetings, and the occasional league party. She tried to balance her work and fun by taking a vacation here and there, traveling alone, and hanging out with friends like Sakura even had time for the occasional date.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She no longer had time for </span>
  <em>
    <span>him</span>
  </em>
  <span>. As he had long ago.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was early in the morning when she turned on the T.V. She was dressed in an oversized T-shirt having muffins for breakfast and wanted to check if she should bring an umbrella with her today or not.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The first thing she saw was him. Right there front and center was the boy-wonder himself, the so-called "chosen one", the stubborn guy who always acted like a ten-year-old. Once again he had saved the world from apparent destruction.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Huh, didn’t know I could get Alola channels from here,” said her boyfriend Gregorio as he entered the kitchen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Gregorio was a nice guy. He was smart having graduated from the infamous Celadon University. He was very good looking and an all-around nice person. He was one of the board members in the League making him well acquainted with a few high ranking trainers, including that Pallet brat himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m gonna go change,” Misty said taking the last bite of her muffin and heading for the bedroom. She immediately crashed into the immaculate queen sized bed covered in Egyptian cotton. She closed her eyes trying to erase herself from this luxury.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They had lost contact long ago yet she can’t help but still think about him. He told her to move on before he left for Alola. It had been hard to maintain their relationship when they were kids, and it seemed like the only one trying between the two of them was her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re cutting me off!” she yelled at him angrily at the airport, she only knew he was leaving after a text message from Brock “Why didn’t you tell me! I didn’t even know you were here, can’t you just say hi!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He bit his lip refusing to look at her “I’m not . . . it’s . . . I don’t want to seem unfair to you”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Unfair!” she felt like he’d slapped her “You’re the one being selfish here!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sighing looking at the giant clock on a nearby wall “I understand but I can’t help it. I try to keep all my friendships but you know there a people I’ve probably forgotten and . . .” letting out another breath “Mist, you’re better off without me. You’re an independent woman. We’re still friends but . . . people grow and fall apart”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She was now an adult, and so was he. They both knew better. They knew that in every new friend they make one would be lost, that was just one of the many side-effects of growing up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yet why? Here she was on a soft comfortable bed, dating a wonderful understanding man, living the dream of being a respected water Pokémon trainer. Why does she long for her cold hard sleeping bag, the bug-infested forest, the yelling and screaming of pointless things, the constant ‘aha’ its Team Rocket moments, the constant pulling of Brock’s ear, the . . .</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Why does she still miss him?</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Gizzard (Just a Kiss by Lady Antebellum)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>            Brock was busy boiling Pidgeotto gizzard for his Pidgeotto Vegetable Stir Fry when Ash stormed into the kitchen in a very foul mood.</p><p> </p><p>           “What did she do this time?” the former gym leader said putting salt, chopped red onions, and seasoning cubes into the boiling pot.</p><p> </p><p>           Adulthood did not seem to change the dynamic between Ash and Misty. They still fought over the most ridiculously mundane things, they were still very competitive with each other, they still got on each other’s nerves and they still settled their arguments like they were both ten.</p><p> </p><p>           “It was her fault” the raven head grumbled leaning against the kitchen counter “She started it”</p><p> </p><p>           “Uhuh” Brock nodded “What exactly did she start”</p><p> </p><p>           Groaning “I don’t get it Brock, why is it every time I try to have some sort of decent conversation with her she bites me in the ass every time!” he scratched his head “I’m pretty sure menopause isn’t supposed to come for women that early”</p><p> </p><p>           Dicing his ingredients “Ash, it’s rude to joke about that” the Pokémon doctor commented “Even in private, because they could hear”</p><p> </p><p>           “I don’t give a damn if she hears what I’m saying” Ash crossed his arms “If she wants to listen to me rant about her obnoxious behavior then fine! It’s not different from what I tell to her face anyway!”</p><p> </p><p>           Brock sighed at his friend’s antics “Ash, you’re only here for a few days. Just try to be civil with her throughout the weekend; I don’t want your fight between Misty to spoil everyone’s vacation.”</p><p> </p><p>           Taking a deep breath the young man decided to take his good friend’s advice “I’ll try my best, but if she crosses the line again I swear she won’t be leaving this island with that irritating grin on her face” and with that he left the kitchen and headed off somewhere else in the beach house.</p><p> </p><p>           Brock then proceeded with the rest of his cooking. He chopped the veggies, tomatoes, and chili. He took out some of the oil he used to fry the gizzards and poured it into a pan. And he added curry powder, thyme, and fried for a minute.</p><p> </p><p>           It was at this moment that Misty entered the kitchen with an equally foul mood as the previous person. Unlike Ash, though she did not make a sound, she just sat on one of the stools near the counter and frowned.</p><p> </p><p>           As Misty was pretty much a little sister to him, Brock pretty much knew what each and every one of her moods meant. “You heard everything he said didn’t you?” he asked.</p><p> </p><p>           The redhead just went into a deeper frown not replying.</p><p> </p><p>           “You know Ash is an impulsive person” Brock continued “He doesn’t mean what he says half the time”</p><p> </p><p>           “He doesn’t know what he’s saying half the time” she grumbled.</p><p> </p><p>           “Exactly what happened between the two of you this time” the man placed a lid on the pot and faced her “I swear on the way here you guys were laughing”</p><p> </p><p>           Misty rolled her eyes “Just because we’re laughing doesn’t mean we’re having a good time”</p><p> </p><p>           “Isn’t laughter a sign of happiness?” Brock asked.</p><p> </p><p>           “It could also be a sign of bitterness”</p><p> </p><p>           Shaking his head “You know what, I’m not gonna asked what happened.”</p><p> </p><p>           Misty snorted “That’s a first”</p><p> </p><p>           “What I am going to ask however is. . . “ Brock took a moment to make a dramatic pause “How was the kiss?”</p><p> </p><p>           At this the redhead had comically fallen off her stool before immediately standing up and facing her friend “Ki . . ki . . kiss?? Are you you . . . trying to make a joke?” her face went redder as she talked “Hahaha, ohh Brock you always tried to make everything funny, yeah me and him kissing? Bleh. That’s as if you’re saying that Charmander could lay eggs or something.”</p><p> </p><p>           Not even being faced by Misty’s denial “So it was good I presume”</p><p> </p><p>           Misty gulped and waved a shaky finger at Brock “No! No! It’s not good! There’s nothing good on anything that didn’t happen. Which it didn’t. So there is no way I could judge if it was good because NOTHING HAPPENED”</p><p> </p><p>           “Your statement had double negatives” the former gym leader rubbed his chin “So that leads to a positive?”</p><p> </p><p>           “Wait . . . what?!” Misty waved her hands “NO! I said no several times so it’s a TOTAL NEGATIVE!”</p><p> </p><p>           It was in here that a certain brunette coordinator entered the kitchen “Hey Brock, everyone’s wondering how . . .” May’s eyes then diverted to Misty “OH MY GOSH MISTY IS THAT A HICKEY!”</p><p> </p><p>           Misty’s face was now crimson at this point as she went over to the glass cabinet to see her reflection. In there she saw a tiny mark had formed on her neck.</p>
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